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Mafch 31, 1964 R, GREEN 3,126,570

CONVERTIBLE UPRIGHT AND TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Filed March 29, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet l v 1 /TOR.

ROBERT A. GREEN 73 4 y AT TORNE Y R. A. GREEN March 31, 1964 CONVERTIBLEUPRIGHT AND TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER 2 sheets sheet 2 Filed March 29,1962 INVENTOR.

ROBERT A. GREEN V 26) I M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,126,570CONVERTIBLE UPRIGHT AND TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Robert A. Green, LakeOswego, 0reg., assignor to Labbe- Green Corporation, Portland, Greg, acorporation of Nevada Filed Mar. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 183,631 3 Claims.(Cl. 15331) This invention relates to a convertible vacuum cleaner whichmay be used either as an upright cleaner or as a tank type of cleaner.

For the purpose of establishing definitions, an upright cleaner isgenerally understood as a fully self-contained machine equipped withwheels to run bodily over the surface to be cleaned. The suction nozzleis usually integral with the fan and motor housing and a dust collectingbag is carried by this housing and by a handle with which the machine ispushed and pulled. The dust bag is usually connected on the dischargeside of the suction fan. This unitary type of machine is generallypreferred for rugs and carpets since it will operate conveniently overthe area of a large room.

In a tank type cleaner the suction nozzle is mounted at the end of aflexible suction tube which is connected with a rather cumbersome pieceof apparatus containing the fan, motor, and dust bag. The dust bag inthis case is connected to the suction line on the intake side of thefan. This type of cleaner is used principally for upholstery, drapes andbare floor. It may also be used on small rugs and carpet areas underfurniture, but is less convenient on extensive carpet areas as in roomshaving wall to Wall carpeting. There exists a need for a compactuniversal cleaner that will serve all the foregoing purposes without amultiplicity of attachments which increase the cost of the cleaner andare awkward to use and cumbersome to store.

The general object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide aconvertible cleaner which is compact and light in weight and whichcombines the advantageous features of both upright and tank typecleaners.

Other objects are to provide a highly efiicient suction cleaner, toprovide a cleaner which is easy to move from room to room and to carryupstairs, and to provide a cleaner which is relatively simple andinexpensive to manufacture but which is durable and long lived inservice.

The present cleaner comprises a two-wheeled base unit having a pivotallymounted suction head which is adapted to lie flat against the floor orcarpet. Pivotally connected with the base unit is a tank and motor unitequipped with a handle for operating the machine as an upright cleaner.The base wheels are arranged to operate as a dolly for convenience inmoving the cleaner about from room to room and up and down stairs. Thecleaner is converted to a tank type of cleaner by merely tipping it overon its back and disposing it in horizontal position on the floor. Uponremoving the handle, a flexible suction tube may be attached to the tankfor the use of upholstery and drapery types of suction heads on thesuction tube.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent and theinvention will be better understood from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. Various changes may be made, however, in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts, and all suchmodifications within the scope of the appended claims are included inthe invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a vacuum cleaner embodying theprinciples of the invention;

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FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view showing the base unit latched to the tankand motor unit to form a dolly;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the base unit unlatchedfrom the tank and motor unit for operation as an upright cleaner;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the tank cover in openposition for replacing the dust bag;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view with parts broken away to show theinterior tank structure;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE5;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of the structure shown in FIGURE 6with parts broken away;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the suction head in the base unit;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view showing the latch between the base unitand the tank and motor unit; and

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation view showing the cleaner converted to atank type of cleaner.

Referring first to FIGURES 1-4, the present cleaner comprises,generally, a base unit A and a tank and motor unit B which are pivotallyinterconnected through the axles 10 of the two wheels 11. The two unitsare automatically latched together when the tank and motor unit isbrought to upright position so that the lower end of the motor housingrests on top of the base unit as shown in FIGURE 1. Then, when thecleaner is tilted backward as shown in FIGURE 2, the base unit is liftedoff the floor and the wheels provide a dolly for wheeling the cleanerfrom room to room or up and down stairs. In such position the totalweight of the appliance is in approximate balance on the wheels, themotor then being directly over the wheel axis.

By depressing the release lever 12 the latch is disengaged from the tankand motor unit, allowing the latter to pivot relative to the base unit Afor use as a conventional upright cleaner as shown in FIGURE 3.

The base unit A comprises an outer housing 13 equipped with a rubberbumper strip 14. A pair of frame arms 15 extend rearwardly from thishousing for pivotal mounting on the axles 10. A suction head 16 ispivotally mounted at 17 near the forward end of frame 15 as shown inFIGURE 7. The rearward portion of the suction head can pivot up and downWithin the housing 13, the vertical movement being limited by a pair ofpins 18 on opposite sides of the suction head which travel in arcuatevertical slots 19 in the frame members 15.

The rear ends of the suction head connects with a flexible hose 25leading to the lower end of a rigid suction tube 26. The lower end ofsuction tube 26 is also equipped with a pair of forked supporting arms27 which are rigidly connected to the stub axles 10. Suction tube 26 iswelded or otherwise integrally connected witha U-shaped shroud orhousing member 28 connected on the rear side of tank shell 30. The lowerend of tank shell 30 carries a motor 31 equipped with a suction fanwhich draws air through the suction head 16, tube 26 and tank 30 anddischarges it through the vent louvers 32. The motor is energized from aflexible electric cord 33 and is started and stopped by means of a pushbutton switch 34 near the top of the tank shell. Tube 26, shroud member28, tank shell 30 and motor 31 are all rigidly interconnected toconstitute the tank and motor unit B.

The upper end of the tank is closed by a cover 35 mounted on a hinge 36.The opposite side of the cover is equipped with a catch 37 to latch thecover closed. The cover has a central suction opening within which thereis detaohably mounted a hollow suction connection fitting 39. Thisfitting carries the handle 40. Fitting 39 and handle 40 are removable asa unit from cover 35 by releasing the spring catch 38.

An elbow tube 41 on the fitting 39 engages a bellrnouth '3 a 9 resilientseal 42 on the upper end of tube 26 when the cover is closed. Fansuction is thereby communicated through the tank and elbow 41 to thetube 26 and suction head 16. When the cover is open as shown in FIGURE 4there is access to the interior of the tank for changing the dust bag.

The handle carries a hook 43, and the tube 26 and shroud 28 are providedwith a similar hook 44, on which the electric cord 33 may be wound. Thelatter parts are also provided with a skid 45 for supporting the cleanerin horizontal position as shown in FIGURE 10. The wheels 11 projectbehind tube 26 in FIGURE 1 for this purpose, to provide, in cooperationwith skid 45, a three point support.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the tank shell 30 contains a perforatedcylindrical inner shell 50 within which is disposed a porous dust bag51. The dust bag has a flanged collar 52 on its upper end in order tosuspend the bag within the tank shell as shown. The cover 35 is providedwith an interior resilient gasket which seals against the collar 52 whenthe cover is closed. The air intake for the suction fan is indicated at55. This air intake opening is covered by a screen 56 which supports afilter 57. An inverted dished perforated shell 58 overlies the filter.

The suction head 16 is preferably of the type described and claimed inthe Rockwell Patent No. 2,785,432, issued March 19, 1957. This suctionhead has a narrow suction opening 65 between a pair of vertical walls 66having rounded undersides provided with a multiplicity of depressions 67as shown in FIGURES 6 and 8. Air is drawn across these depressions froma pair of chambers 69 on opposite outer sides of the walls 66. Air isadmitted into chambers 69 through a series of slot-like nozzles 70.

By reason of the pivotal connection of the suction head at 17, thesuction head remains flat on the carpet or floor when running on or offthe end of a rug. Instead of the carpet being pulled up to the suctionhead, the latter bears lightly against the carpet. When used as anupright cleaner as shown in FIGURE 3 any downward force applied tohandle 40 is not transmitted to the suction head, nor is the Weight ofthe motor impressed thereon. The suction head floats on the nap of thecarpet under the weight of only the base unit A and independent of theweight of unit B.

The latch between base unit A and tank and motor unit 3 is shown inFIGURE 9. The catch 71 automatically engages with latch 72 when unit Bis moved to upright position. Release lever 12 is a bell crank arm oflatch 72, pivotally mounted at 73 and spring actuated by tension spring74.

When it is desired to use the present cleaner as a tank cleaner it isnecessary only to lower it to horizontal position as shown in FIGURE andremove the handle and suction connection fitting 40 and 39. The openingin the cover 35 will then receive the connector 75 of a conventionalsuction hose 76 which may be used with or without a rigid tubular wandand with any desired type of suction head for cleaning upholstery,drapes, bare floors and the like.

Having now described my invention and in what man- 4 ner the same may beused, what I claim. as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a base unit, a pair of wheels on the rearend of said base unit, a suction head flexibly mounted in the front endof said base unit, a rigid suction tube pivotally connected to said baseunit on the axis of said wheels, a flexible suction tube connecting saidsuction head and said rigid suction tube, a tank and motor unit mountedon the front side of said rigid suction tube, a cover on said tankhaving a suction opening, a handle for operating the cleaner as anupright type cleaner, said handle having a detachable connection withsaid suction opening, said handle having a hollow portion in saidopening communicating with said tank, and a suction connection extendingfrom said hollow portion for engagement with said rigid tube tooperatively connect said suction head with said tank, said suctionopening being available to receive a flexible suction hose for use ofthe cleaner as a tank type cleaner when said handle is removed.

2. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, said cover being hinged onsaid tank and said suction connection comprising an elbow pipeengageable with the upper end of said rigid tube when said cover isclosed with said handle attached.

3. A convertible vacuum cleaner comprising a base unit, a pair of dollywheels on the rear end of said base unit and projecting behind the rearend thereof, a suction head flexibly mounted in the front end of saidbase unit so as to rest flat against a supporting surface, the front endof said base unit being supported by said suction head, a rigid suctiontube pivotally connected to said base unit on the axis of said wheels, aflexible suction tube connecting said suction head and said rigidsuction tube, a tank and motor unit mounted on the front side of saidrigid suction tube with the upper end of the tank extendingsubstantially to the upper end of said rigid suction tube, a latchreleasably connecting said base unit to said tank and motor unit so thatthe two units may be tilted back together and wheeled as a dolly, a skidon said rigid tube forming with said wheels a three point support forthe cleaner in horizontal position when said two units are latchedtogether, a cover on said tank having a suction opening, a handledetachably mounted in said suction opening, and a suction connection onsaid handle detachably engaging the upper end of said rigid suction tubeto operatively connect said suction head with said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A BASE UNIT, A PAIR OF WHEELS ON THE REAREND OF SAID BASE UNIT, A SUCTION HEAD FLEXIBLY MOUNTED IN THE FRONT ENDOF SAID BASE UNIT, A RIGID SUCTION TUBE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASEUNIT ON THE AXIS OF SAID WHEELS, A FLEXIBLE SUCTION TUBE CONNECTING SAIDSUCTION HEAD AND SAID RIGID SUCTION TUBE, A TANK AND MOTOR UNIT MOUNTEDON THE FRONT SIDE OF SAID RIGID SUCTION TUBE, A COVER ON SAID TANKHAVING A SUCTION OPENING, A HANDLE FOR OPERATING THE CLEANER AS ANUPRIGHT TYPE CLEANER, SAID HANDLE HAVING A DETACHABLE CONNECTION WITHSAID SUCTION OPENING, SAID HANDLE HAVING A HOLLOW PORTION IN SAIDOPENING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TANK, AND A SUCTION CONNECTION EXTENDINGFROM SAID HOLLOW PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RIGID TUBE TOOPERATIVELY CONNECT SAID SUCTION HEAD WITH SAID TANK, SAID SUCTIONOPENING BEING AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE A FLEXIBLE SUCTION HOSE FOR USE OFTHE CLEANER AS A TANK TYPE CLEANER WHEN SAID HANDLE IS REMOVED.